News
Turning a MetroBus Into Art on Wheels at the St. Louis Earth Day Festival
Celebrate Earth Day by adding some color to the MetroBus fleet at the St. Louis Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 22, in Forest Park. Festival attendees of all ages are invited to help paint two custom designed Earth Day murals onto a MetroBus that will share the message of sustainability and environmental conservation as it travels through the region. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is sponsoring the Metro Arts in Transit Bus painting, and St. Louis artists William Burton and Robert Ketchens designed both murals.
What: Metro Arts in Transit Bus Painting
Where: St. Louis Earth Day Festival The Muny Grounds at Forest Park (near intersection of McKinley and Theatre Drive) St. Louis, MO 63110
When: Saturday, April 22 – 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free and open to participants of all ages
“Metro and Earth Day go hand in hand, from encouraging environmentally friendly transportation options to saving resources and improving local air quality,“ said David Allen, Metro Director of Arts in Transit. “The Art Bus is a great way to bring these messages to life in a colorful and playful way, and share them with the communities we serve.”
The design for the Art Bus was created by Burton and Ketchens, and combines vivid colors, stark lines and soft shapes to highlight the harmony and connections between the environment and the St. Louis region. The local artists have previously designed art bus murals for Metro Arts in Transit, and are known for their vibrant artwork and commitment to developing and promoting a thriving St. Louis art scene.
The Arts in Transit Bus painting will take place from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on April 22, and all ages are welcome to participate. The bus will join the Art Bus Fleet, which is part of Metro’s Arts in Transit Program. The murals will stay on the MetroBus for one year as it travels along various routes throughout the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County.
David Allen, William Burton and Robert Ketchens will be available for interviews on Saturday at the Metro Arts in Transit Bus painting. Members of the media can contact External Communications Manager Jerry Vallely at 314-486-5553 for more information.
About Metro
Metro is the operator of the St. Louis region’s public transportation system, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; approximately 400 vehicle MetroBus fleet that operates on 80 MetroBus routes in Missouri and Illinois; and Metro Call‑A‑Ride, a paratransit fleet of 122 vans. Metro is an enterprise of Bi-State Development (BSD), which also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport, the Bi-State Development Research Institute, the Gateway Arch Riverboats, and operates the Gateway Arch Trams and Revenue Collections Center. BSD also operates the St. Louis Regional Freightway.